Ditch the fast life & join us at the lake

William and I (Jess), have owned Chimney Rock together now for two years. The back story is that William, the chef, is an East Coast boy who studied at Johnson & Wales. He is wildly talented and spent his younger years chasing talent and learning from famous chefs. He became a cooperate trainer and eventually settled down in Spokane, Washington (just an hour and a half from Priest Lake). He proceeded to own five restaurants in Spokane and made a name for himself before he ended up moving to Priest Lake in 2017. 

I, Jess, graduated from college with an ever-useful music degree and moved to Priest Lake for one summer which has turned into 20 plus years after being hooked on the industry. After managing large restaurants & resorts I eventually invested in my own restaurants and have never looked back.

When I met William, we became instant friends. I owned two spots up here in this tiny town of 12 and he was the head chef at a competing resort. Like all f***ed up restaurant love stories we did it all backwards. He came to work for me as my executive chef, we got pregnant, we got pregnant again, we bought my partners out to own Chimney Rock ourselves and sold the other back to them.

This will be Chimney Rock's third season owned exclusively by us and it's become a beautiful beast.

We are both exceptional at what we contribute to the business. People travel from all around to eat William's creations. He changes the menu weekly which keeps people itching to see what he will do next. He shares his talents well, and his BOH is loyal. He is always looking for those who are willing and eager to learn to join. He works the line every moment we are open (breakfast, lunch & dinner) and he also makes all our breads from scratch, does all our caterings, makes all our pastries and even makes the burrata. He spends hours in the dish pit and he scrubs the floor every night. He's in it with you. He's intense. He has high expectations and sometimes he is a tool (he's a chef...) but to know him is to love him and to have the luxury of serving his food is a gift. Nothing is ever sent back. Nothing is ever incorrect and your tips and the volume here reflect that. Do you need thick skin? Yep, some days you do. But if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

My forte is everything FOH. I am intense and direct about my expectations. I thrive on the relationships that I have spent two decades building. I pride myself on having the best service in the area and I'll be damned if I've worked for 20 years to have that thrown away by someone who doesn't care. I expect my guests to feel welcome, even when they inconveniently roll in at closing. This is my home; my staff is a steward of this space. I will never expect something I haven't trained you for or ask you to do anything I wouldn't do myself. I will be in the fire with you; I'm never managing from an office. We are a small FOH crew 6-7 servers. We all work days and we all work nights, so there is respect for both shifts. You have your own sections and given the day and time it can be anywhere from 6-12 tables. You must prioritize like a soldier, ring food in accurately, use seat numbers like your life depends on it and keep the beverages coming, our guests are on vacation and you are a part of their story. You may have a section, but we are all working together watering, bussing and running each other's food. The experience today will determine their return tomorrow. I'd work all day everyday if I could, but our toddler boys are the priority now and juggling it all is a challenge. I still work 5 days a week, but I am looking for employees who are going to be an extension of my expectations. Ones that will not only create an excellent experience for the guests but also a relationship, so that when they return, they are doing so also to see you. 

One of the benefits of working here is that you do have some set days off. We are closed every Sunday evening and all day Monday so that means you can plan to go on those epic hikes with your co-workers or spend the day playing on the lake.

People who thrive best here at the lake are those who aren't here expecting to have great cell service or constant internet access. We are remote. We are 35 min from a real grocery store (in Priest River) an hour away from a Walmart (in Sandpoint, ID) and 2+ hours from the Spokane airport. This is the ideal summer setting. Sandy beaches, beautiful forests, endless mountain hiking. You get out of this experience what you put into it. 

You'll be working your tail off the remainder of the week. Yes, there are a couple of bars and young inexperienced staff members giving questionable service at them, but we aren't that place. If you're a degenerate with a drinking problem, we aren't the place for you. AM shifts start as early as 7am and we expect you to show up with your shit together. We are open for breakfast/lunch from 8am-4pm, we take a break so the line can reset and then dinner is from 5pm-9pm. We have a beer and wine license, so we don't attract debauchery and even at the peak of summer we are out by 11pm. It's a small enough staff where everyone is pitching in to make it all happen.

The people here are magic. This place attracts amazing workers and has solid locals/summer locals. You'll meet great people, hopefully you'll want to return over and over. This is a place where your soul can breathe easy.

Our ideal candidate would be an experienced employee who is ready to join our family. Having a reliable vehicle is a must as there is no public transportation and the location is remote. We thrive on the pressure. Bring a team player attitude and an incredible work ethic and enjoy our little slice of Heaven.

There is virtually no extra housing here. There are no apartments or summer rentals. We do have a contact for two different places. One space is very "rustic" and "off grid" and after we talk if this seems like a good fit for the both of us I'll connect you with the gentlemen who has those spots and let you decide if that works for you too. Again, the housing isn't connected to Chimney so I don't have all the details but I will tell you what I do know when we chat.

Employees receive a discount on one meal per day and the confidence of serving great food and knowing the owner's have your back. The chef usually feeds us once a day as well,  though I tell people to think of it as a bonus and not an expectation, as much of it depends on volume, prep and chaos here. 

You are going to need your own vehicle here. No matter where you stay there is no housing on site so you'll need to commute back and forth to work. 

Everything here is pretty detached so you'll find you need to drive most places but if you have a bike I would encourage you to bring it as it is a great way to explore the area.

North Idaho is an outdoor lovers paradise. The possibilities are endless. Hiking, biking, camping, boating, floating, fishing, reading, relaxing, with a lake and the mountains, the sky is the limit.